Gov. Beshear, Lt. Gov. Coleman Add Key Team Members

FRANKFORT, Ky. (Jan. 3, 2020) – Gov. Andy Beshear and Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman today announced new members of their team who share their vision of supporting public education, ensuring access to health care, protecting retirements and improving wages.

“With these dedicated, positive and hardworking leaders joining our team, we have a tremendous opportunity to get it right here in Kentucky – to put our people first and build that bigger, brighter future for our Commonwealth,” said Gov. Beshear. “Jacqueline and I are excited to have such a talented team to help us work toward our common goal – the common good.”

“These proven leaders are passionate about Kentucky, about Kentucky schools and about workforce development, and will work every day to serve the people of the Commonwealth,” Lt. Gov. Coleman said. “I look forward to working with each of them to serve the people of Kentucky and move this state forward.”

Mary Pat Regan of St. Matthews was named deputy secretary of Education and Workforce Development. Regan has served in several key executive positions, including as national vice president for regulatory at AT&T and Kentucky state president of AT&T Communications. Regan has also participated in and provided leadership in a number of Louisville-based community and civic programs during the last 10 years, including Greater Louisville Inc., the Kentucky Chamber, Business Leaders for Education, and the United Way. She also has served as a member of the Board of Directors for Kentucky Educational Television, The Louisville Science Center, the Jefferson County Public Education Foundation and the Louisville Collegiate School. Regan attended the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

“I am grateful and excited to join with the governor and lieutenant governor to bring positive change and measurable results for the education of all Kentuckians in the Commonwealth,” said Regan.

Ronnie Bastin of Lexington was named the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet deputy secretary. Bastin has been a committed public servant for over 39 years. He began his career with the Kentucky Department of Corrections in 1978, serving more than two years as a correctional officer and four years as a classification/treatment officer. In 1984, the Lexington Police Department hired Bastin and he served in a variety of capacities for the next 30 years, including chief of police from 2008 to 2015. Bastin retired from the Police Department in January 2015 and was appointed to serve as commissioner of public safety in Lexington. As commissioner, he was responsible for leadership and executive oversight of the Lexington Police Department, Lexington Fire Department, Division of Community Corrections, Division of Enhanced 911, Division of Emergency Management and Building Security for government facilities.

“I am very excited about the opportunity to be a part of Team Kentucky. I want to thank Gov. Beshear, Lt. Gov. Coleman and Secretary Noble for placing their confidence in me to take on this important role,” said Bastin.

Mike Hancock, a native of Princeton, will serve as the deputy secretary for the Transportation Cabinet. Hancock enjoyed a 40-year career at the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, where his responsibilities included preparation of the cabinet’s biennial road plan from 1990 to 2016. His background is in rural and urban transportation planning and transportation program management, and he held multiple executive and leadership roles during his previous tenure with the Transportation Cabinet. Hancock graduated from the University of Kentucky with a degree in civil engineering.

“I am very excited to join Gov. Beshear and Secretary Gray in delivering Kentucky’s transportation program,” said Hancock. “This is an incredible opportunity and I look forward to the challenges we will meet together.”

Gov. Beshear named Lindy Casebier, of Louisville, deputy Personnel Cabinet secretary. Casebier returns to state government after many years as an educator and legislator and serving in senior roles with the Kentucky Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet. For 18 years, Casebier represented Louisville in the Kentucky General Assembly where he chaired the Senate Education Committee, and served as a commissioner to the Education Commission of the States. Most recently, he served as executive director of Louisville Visual Art.

A longtime public school educator, Casebier began his teaching career at Valley High School, serving there for 14 years as band director and as district music supervisor for Jefferson County Public Schools.

Casebier received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music education from the University of Louisville. In 2003, he was designated an Alumni Fellow by the University of Louisville. In 2016, Casebier was the recipient of the Allen Cowan Innovation Award from the Fund for the Arts. In 2018, he was cited as “Twenty people to know in Non Profits” by Louisville Business First, and was named a Bingham Fellow in January 2019.

“I am honored to join the Beshear-Coleman administration, and excited at the prospect of working with Secretary Whethers to support the dedicated state employees who serve our Commonwealth every day,” said Casebier.

Rodney Brewer, of Ballardsville, will serve as Gov. Beshear’s Kentucky State Police commissioner. Brewer is a 33-year veteran of the agency, most recently as the longest-serving commissioner in agency history. He served in numerous assignments including uniformed operations, special investigations, narcotics, strategic planning, academy commander and the executive protection.

Brewer is a graduate of the Southern Police Institute Administrative Officer’s Course and has instructed at the Department of Criminal Justice Training, the FBI Academy at Quantico, National Crime Prevention Institute, the Southern Police Institute and the Kentucky State Police Academy. He has also lectured internationally on leadership and ethics to police agencies. He is a graduate of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) National Executive Institute and recently completed the Leadership in Counter-terrorism (LINCT) course in Australia that involved police leadership from six different countries.

Brewer completed his undergraduate and graduate work at the University of Louisville, receiving his Bachelor of Science degree in police administration and his master’s degree in criminal justice. He is the recipient of the United States Senator Wendell H. Ford Law Enforcement Leadership Award, the Southern Police Institute Distinguished Alumni Award, the Optimist Club Law Enforcement Official of the Year, the University of Louisville “Red Apple” Award for teaching excellence and the Kentucky Law Enforcement Council Melvin Shein Leadership Award.

“I’m honored and humbled to be selected and return as Kentucky State Police Commissioner,” said Brewer. “I look forward to working with the incredible men and women who make up this organization as we continue to make the Commonwealth a safer place to work, live and play.”

Lisa Lee, a native of Hazard, will serve as the Cabinet for Health and Family Services Commissioner for the Department of Medicaid Services. Lee spent her last 16 years in state government at the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services. While at the cabinet, Lee served in a variety of roles within the Department for Medicaid Services, including member services representative, director of provider services, policy analyst, deputy commissioner and commissioner. Lee also served as the program director for the Kentucky Children’s Health Insurance Program (KCHIP) for approximately 14 years. During her tenure as KCHIP director, she led a successful outreach campaign that resulted in coverage of an additional 60,000 eligible children within Medicaid and KCHIP. 

“During my time in Medicaid, I saw firsthand how important this program is to Kentucky – from the members it serves to the providers who treat them,” said Lee. “I am excited to return to Medicaid and assist this administration in developing policies aimed at improving the health of all Kentuckians.”

Jeff Taylor, of Hopkinsville, will serve as commissioner for Business Development at the Cabinet for Economic Development. Taylor has over 35 years of experience in the Economic Development profession. After 31 years of service, he retired from the Tennessee Valley Authority as a senior project manager in economic development. He also held positions in public relations, marketing and community development. He is a graduate of the basic economic development course at the University of Georgia and attended the Economic Development Institute at the University of Oklahoma. Taylor is a graduate of Leadership Hopkinsville and Leadership Kentucky. He also served on the State Labor Relations Board for Kentucky and as State Representative for House District 8. Most recently, Taylor served as the President/CEO of Conecuh County Economic Development. He is a graduate of Western Kentucky University and has a master’s degree from the University of North Alabama.

“If there is anything that signifies and needs the collaboration of Gov. Beshear’s Team Kentucky culture – it is economic development. It is the creation of good jobs for our neighbors, families and friends,” said Taylor. “I thank Gov. Beshear for giving me the opportunity to continue my profession and passion as part of his cabinet and Team Kentucky. In the days ahead, I look forward to following up with established relationships and to forging new ones.”

Allyson Taylor, of Frankfort, joins the administration as commissioner for the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control. Taylor worked as a domestic violence and sex crimes prosecutor in Louisville for almost 10 years before working for the Attorney General’s Office as director of the Prosecutors Advisory Council and the Office of Victims Advocacy. She served more than two years as policy advisor to the Commissioner of the Kentucky Department for Public Health, operating as chief of staff and legislative liaison.  

In 2016, then-Attorney General Andy Beshear appointed Taylor to serve as the executive director of his newly developed Office of Child Abuse and Human Trafficking Prevention and Prosecution. Taylor is a graduate of Western Hills High School, Morehead State University, where she received Bachelors of Arts in English and Government, and the University of Louisville’s Brandeis College of Law.

“I am grateful to Gov. Beshear for the opportunity to serve as Commissioner of the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control and look forward to working to keep Kentuckians safe while also supporting the alcoholic beverage industry for which Kentucky is known,” said Taylor. “I look forward to serving in this role and appreciate Gov. Beshear’s trust in me.”

Gov. Beshear, Lt. Gov. Coleman and their administration have been quickly getting to work to address the issues affecting many Kentucky families. Since being in office, less than a month, Gov. Beshear and his administration have:

  • Reorganized the state board of education and appointed new members who support public education.
  • Signed a civil rights restoration executive order giving more than 140,000 Kentuckians who have completed their sentences for nonviolent crimes the ability to once again vote.
  • Ended the 1115 demonstration project, known as “Kentucky HEALTH,” that required Kentuckians to meet certain work requirements in order to have health insurance coverage and signed an executive order to protect the state’s Medicaid expansion program.
  • Announced two northern Kentucky businesses are investing in the area and growing jobs.

Visit governor.ky.gov for official news and updates from the Beshear/Coleman Administration.

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